Ryvre's 10th Birthday

Due to the loss of our beloved Great-Great-Granny, Ryvre's birthday was pushed back a week.  We had a small party with my parents and Dale's mom.

Ember's 6th Birthday

Willow's 8th Birthday Party

Finally had Willow's friend-party yesterday

She once again decorated the cakes







I decorated a little, but didn't go too nuts (the pinwheels went home with the kids along with hibiscus-print tote bags, leis and hair clips, and shell necklaces)



Hubby printed off some coloring/activity sheets





Only two guests came (of the dozen invited), but they had a great time!

HallowBirthdayPalooza

Today we celebrated two birthdays and Halloween, all at once!

My oldest is 9 now



And my youngest is 5.



They decorated their own cakes



Ryvre's



Ember's











This year's Trick-or-Treat lineup: Black Kitty (Rome), Percy Jackson (Ryvre), Prairie Girl (Willow), Ariel (Ember), Orange Kitty (Kassi), Prince Zuko (Tristan), and a Christmas Tree (Toly)



I loved how they ran to each house

Ember's Fifth Birthday

Somehow she's gone from this squishy little baby (one day old)
 


to this lovely little girl (today)

 













Happy Birthday Ember!  We love you!

Ryvre

Oh goodness, my son is becoming a young man.  Not literally, this very second, but the signs are clear.  And the times i spend with him, away from the girls, make it even more obvious.

He's always had his own interests and opinions, but everything he does and says is so very him these days.  His number one aspiration is to become a conservationist.  He's so intelligent that even the most oblivious adults rarely talk down to him anymore.  He's so tall that the top of his head reaches my shoulder when we stand side-by-side.  He'll still hold my hand like a little boy, but he hardly looks like a child beside me.  He is my constant helper; when he's not keeping the peace between his sisters, he is carrying groceries or choosing the best gift for a relative (something he's very intuitive about), or reminding me of everyone's favorite snacks.  The girls will help with these things too, but Ryvre simply knows what needs to be done, and does it without comment. 

He will be 9 in 22 days.  Nine. 

When he was born, many people told me he would grow up fast.  They weren't kidding.

 Pulling up in his crib at 8 months (he walked about a week later), with a diaper on his head.

Age 4, at the pumpkin patch

Last week, at Roaring River

Tristan's 8th Birthday

We had another fun-filled day with the O'Melays yesterday, as we celebrated the birthday of their oldest.

There was of course cake (created by Tabitha)

And swimming

Best Buddies

And a defeated Dalek

Willow's 7th Birthday

Willow finally had her party!

Here is the cake she decorated all by herself!

Balloon war!

And the completely unrelated after-party broken arm

Kassi's 6th Birthday

Today we celebrated the birthday of a dear friend.  Her mother made our birthday girls matching dresses!

Papa's Birthday

Yesterday was Papa's birthday.  The kids met with him and Nana on Saturday, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows, and spent the night.  They woke up to a big breakfast and showered him with cards and attention.

Ryvre's card to Papa

 

 

captain, diver, and camper

Ember's picture: a girl named Lila, roasting marshmallows

I love the ingenuity of this one: Willow's 'present' for Papa

Willow's card

Ember made a whole book